Method of underpinning buildings.



J. B. GOLDSBOROUGH. METHOD OF UNDERPINNING BUILDINGS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE4, 1913.

1,1 01,738. Patented June 30, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

INVENTOR WITNESSES: flea W By Attorneys W W 7 M COLUMBIA PLANOQRAP'H c0..wAsHmuToN, D. 6.,

J. B. GOLDSBOROUGH. METHOD OF UNDERPINNING BUILDINGS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4, 1913.

1,101338. Patented June 30,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- INVENTOR WITNESSES: i; 2 J2 5 a UNITED STATES JOHN B. GO-LDSBOROUGH, OF CROTON, NEW YORK.

METHOD OF UNDERPiINNING BUILDINGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1914..

Application filed June 4, 1913. Serial No. 771,618.

To (ZZZ/whom it may concern:

BOROUGH, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding at Croton, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Underpinning Buildings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the underpinning of buildings or other structures, and is particularly available for use in connection with the underpinning of buildings which are supported on isolated piers or columns, and wherein in connection with the underpinning a new and extended footing is to b provided.

An important object of my invention is to provide an underpinning for such structure without undermining the foundation, and without depriving the soil of its supporting power.

' A further object of my invention is to underpin the building or other structure 3 without the employment of temporary supports for the structure being underpinned,

and without the necessity of employing ineedles, shores, stays or braces.

A further object of my invention is to provide a new-foundation or underpinning for a structure without interfering with the interior of the structure being underpinned, and to do so by means which do not materially obstruct the work in hand.

Another object of my invention is to enable the building to be underpinned and provided with an extended foundation from one side, whereby intrusion upon the interior of the building is avoided.

According to my invention an extended footing is provided which is preferably caused to project toward the side from which the operations are being conducted. Columns are then formed in the earth extending to a lower plane than the said extended footings, and preferably to a firm supporting strata, and these are connected to the extending footing by a pressure resisting connection. Under certain circumstances it is desirable to form the said extended footing with alternate recesses and projections, and in these recesses the col umns are then located in [the soil andsuitably '5 connected to the footings so as to take a load. I My invention also provides means whereby the said underpinning may likewise pro- {vide a curtain wall,which if desired may form a lining for future excavation at one .side of the foundation, and this object I jaccomplish by forming the said columns 1n a continuous row, in which case they are preferably composed of concrete located in pits in the earth. In case such pits are formed they necessitate the removal of a islight amount of earth beneath the original footing, and it may be directly beneath the ;said footing as by being under the same.

lBut this is not a serious matter as but a small amount of soil is removed at a time in the excavation of such pit, and the said pitsare not excavated consecutively, but

; considerable space will be left between suc- Icessive pits in which other pits will later .be constructed so as to form a continuous fwall.

The majority of commercial buildings in large cities are-supported in whole or in part upon piers or columns having isolated footings, and these footings are usually .located at a suitable distance, from 12 to 15 'feet below the curb, and have ample supporting power if the soil is undisturbed. It frequently happens that owing to adjacent excavations which are deeper than the origi- ;nal footings, the supporting power becomes disturbed. Particularly is this the case where such excavations extend below water I level, whereby the water is drained from the soil. Also it frequently happens that the load to be supported by the foundations is materially increased. For this and other reasons it becomes desirable to provide new and deeper foundations or underpinnings for the said structure, and these are prolvided according to my invention in a manner' which I will presently describe, and

I whereof one embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan View partly in section illustratin one manner of employing my invention; *ig. 2 is an elevation partly in section on the line 22 in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the employment of modified forms of my invention; Fig. 4 is a section on the line Jr-4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5.is a detail typical cross-section of the footing of a pier and the under? pinning column.

In the employment of. my invention the original footing or footings of the structure are preferably extended laterally. The said extended footing, which as a whole I designate D, is preferably caused to project to a greater extent toward the side from which the underpinning portions are being conducted. The said extended footing may well be formed of concrete, and includes suitable means for connecting it to the erected structure, such as supporting beams C. These supporting beams C are preferably arranged transversely of the structure, and are suitablylocated so that they shall engage the lower part of the supporting piers and receive the weight therefrom and transmit it to the new foundation. Usually and preferably said beams will take the form of I-beams, and the method of connection will be by causing their flanges to be located under the original footing of the pier or column, and their other flanges will be embedded in the extended concrete footing, but the employment of such a form of beam is not essential, nor isit essential that it should be engaged beneath the original footing, as it occasionally happens that the original footing is not adapted for this purpose, being of rubble masonry, etc, in which casethe Lbeam may engage-another portion of the pier, as for instance by being notched into the side thereof. These beams arepreferably embedded in the new concrete or the like, so'that when thesame has properly set the new and extended foundation D is pro duced. This may extend on both sides of the wall if desired, but for the purpose of avoiding to the greatest possible extent interference with the interior of the property, I prefer to cause the same to project toward the side from which the underpinning operations are being connected to a greater extent than it does toward the other side.

In the instance illustrated in the draw columns E each of which has an original footing e. The floor F extends substantially up to the said piers or columns E, and immediately in front of or outside ofthe said piers or columns is located a partition wall G. The said floor and partition wall are illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, and are omitted fromhigs. 3 and a, to aid in simplifying the drawing. According to my invention the structure supported upon the piers or columns E and the extended footing D may be underpinned and provided with a new foundation at a deeper level without intruding inside of the partition D or disturbing the floor F. I find it desirable ings 6.

mass of concrete is located in position about in this connection to prepare. the extended footing whereby the original footings E are bonded together in accordance with an in- Vention described and claimed by me in Reissue Patent No. 13,610, dated August 26, 1913. According to this invention the earth =is removed between the original footings e to the level of their foundations. Thereupon the supporting beams C, which may well take the form of Lbeams, are located transversely of the wall in supporting positions relative to the base portion thereof. This may well be accomplished by inserting the lower flanges thereof under the foot- This having been accomplished, a

and between the original footings 6, so that the I-beams are embedded therein, whereby when the concrete is set, a new extended and unitary footing 1s pI'OVlClQCl, which not only enlarges the area of the footing-but ;bonds the original footings 6 together into i one single footing. This has great rigidity and supporting power. .method of my said patent I prefer to vary the same so as to cause the extended footing D to project toward the side from which Zt-he underpinning operations are to be con-- ducted to a greater extent than it does on In employing the the other side and this projection is for the purpose of enabling the said extended footing D to be connected to the underpinning elements whereby an additional support is provided at a deeper level.

, It will be perceived that the creation of ;the extended footing D has the effect of strengthening the foundations and increas ing their supporting power, so that if desired slight excavations may be made directly beneath the said footing for underpinning purposes.

The new underpinning preferably takes the form of a column sunk into the earth to a lower level, and this column is beneath the footing, and preferably a portion thereof is directly beneath the same. I prefer to form the said columns .of concrete or the like, and in connection jwith the construction of the said columns ings the buildings are supported on piers or I preferably form a pit in the earth at the point which the column is to occupy. lThis pit may if desired be sheeted down land will be excavated to a suitable depth 1 which may be either to a strata of increased :bearing, such for instance as hard pan or rock, or to a depth below the levelof the 1 adjacent excavation. This having been done a column is constructed in the said pit, and

preferably the said column is formed of concrete or the like of such dimensions as i to fill the pit. The upper end of said column is then connected to the footing D in suitable manner by a pressure resisting cons.

,nection so as to take a load. This con-- inection may be of concrete, or I-beams K may be employed located beneath the exwalls may be employed. The said columns are designated I. My invention also provides means whereby the said columns I may be formed without undermining the extended footing D even to the slight extent above indicated. Figs. 1 and 2, illustrate the manner in which this result is accomplished. According to the said figures the extended footing D is provided with alternate projections A and recesses B. The pits for the respective columns I will be sheeted down in the recesses B between the projections A to suitable depth as above stated, and thereupon the columns I will be constructed in the said pits. In this case the pressure resisting connection between the said column and the projections A of the footing D, may well take the form of an I-beam H, preferably located perpendicular to the I-beam C, and which may well be arranged as illustrated in the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the said supporting beam H extends under two of the said I-beams C. According to this construction when the columns I have thus been installed and connected to the structure to be supported, they will preferably project to a substantially equal extent on both sides of the distributing beam H, providing an even bearing upon the column I. This .will cause the outer ends of the column to project somewhat beyond the footing D.

For many purposes it is desired to provide a continuous underpinning wall which may serve as a curtain wall. This will prove of value for instance in case an excavation, as for a subway, is to be formed in the street immediately in front of the building. The sides of this excavation probably would extend to the building line, and in such case the soil beneath the building would re quire protection, and a curtain wall for the purpose of protecting the bank of earth from falling into the excavation would probably necessarily be located directly beneath the walls of the building in a position which would be occupied by the underpinning, and according to my invention the underpinning is designed in such case to serve also as a curtain wall for protecting the bank of earth. This object I accomplish by sheeting down pits in the spaces between the adjacent columns I, and in the said pits constructing like columns J, whereby a continuous curtain wall is provided. The said columns J are preferably utilized as part of the underpinning and for this purpose are connected to the extended underpinning D by pressure resisting connections, which in case of Figs. 8 and 4- may be the same character of connection as is provided for columns I, and in case of Figs. 1 and 2 said connection may be through an extension of the I-beams G, or by distributing beams if desired on the top of the columns J. The manner of forming such pressure resisting connection is not material, and any suitable connection may be employed.

In Figs. 3 and 4: T have illustrated in the left hand end of each figure in the underpinning of that building having side walls L M, the employment of the underpinning columns I J as in a continuous wall. Here the columns I are the ones which have been first sunk, and it will be observed that they are separated a suitable distance, so that no large excavation is formed beneath the footing D, and after the columns I have been thus formed and connected to the footing D the columns J may then be formed, and for this purpose I will preferably form the said columns in the order indicated by the respective numerals applied to the said pits, thus J J J J. Onthe right hand side of said drawing the building having the walls M N is illustrated as provided only with piersl which may be located at any desired distance apart and will be of a size and number sufficient to support the load.

The foregoing illustrates desirable manners of employing my invention but not the only mode in which the same may be employed, as equivalent devices may be employed and the method therein described may be modified within the limits of the appended claims without departing from the said invention. In the said description I have illustrated the extended footing D as surrounding the original footing E and proj ecting somewhat more toward one side, than toward the other. It is desirable that the extended footing should have close contact with the original footing so as to properly support the same, and in cases where it is permissible I may extend the said footing D rearwardly to a greater extent than is shown in the accompanying drawings. in cases however where it is found objectionable to extend this footing toward the interior of the building, such extension may be omitted and the frontward projection preserved. This is for the reason that it is highly advantageous that the interior of the building should be undisturbed. It has happened on numerous occasions that the method employed of providing a building with a new foundation, has required that the basement should be opened and exposed to the elements for periods as long as 12 months at a time, whereby injury is done to the interior of the building by the action of frost upon the water pipes, etc. According to my 1. The method of underpinning a building or other structure which consists in loeating supporting beams in supporting position relative to the original footings of said structure, in then constructing an extended unitary footing of concrete or the like having alternate recesses and projections in an outer edge and connecting the said footing to the structure to be supported by embedding a part of each of said supporting beams therein, in then locating columns in the earth in said recesses, and forming a pressure resisting connection between said new footlng and sald columns.

ing or other structure which consists in locating supporting beams in supporting position relative to the original footings of said structure, in then constructing an extended footing having alternate recesses and proj ections in an outer edge and connecting the said footing to the structure to be supported by embedding a part of each of said supporting beams therein, in then locating columns in the earth in said recesses, and forming a pressure resisting connection between said new footing and said columns, and in then locating columns between said first located columns thereby forming a curtain wall under said structure.

3. The method of underpinning a building or other structure supported on piers, which consists in locating I-beams or the like supporting members in supporting position relative to the base portion of each pier, in embedding the base portions of said piers and said supporting members in a mass of concrete or the like forming a unitary footing for all said piers, and having alternate recesses and projections in an outer edge, in then locating columns in the earth in said recesses and interposing a pressure resisting connection between, said structure and said columns.

4;. The method of underpinning a building or other structure supported on piers, which consists in locating I-beams or the like supporting members in supporting position relative to the base portion of each pier, in embedding the base portions of said piers and said supporting members in a mass of concrete or the like forming an extended and unitary footing, having alternate recesses and projections in an edge thereof, in then locating a column in the earth below each of said recesses and forming a pressureresisting connection between the same and said extended footing and in then locating columns between said first located columns thus forming a curtain wall.

5. The method ofunderpinning a build- -'ing or other structure supported .on piers, ilVlllCh consists in locating I-beams in supporting position relative to the base portion of each pier, in embedding the base portions I of said piers and said I-beams in a mass of concrete or the like forming an extended and unitary footing, having alternate recesses and projections in an edge thereof, in then i excavating pits beneath said recesses and i forming columns in said pits of concrete or i the like, and placing beams between the upper part of said columns and said I-beams I in said extended footings so as to transfer a load to said columns, and in then excavating pits between said concrete columns and filling them with concrete or the like forming a curtain wall. 2. The method of underpinning a build 'ing or other structure supported on piers,

6. The method of underpinning a buildwhich consists in locating I-beams or the like in supporting position relative to the base port on of each pier, in embeddlng the base f portions of said piers and said I-beams in a mass of concrete or the like, forming a unitary footing, and in forming an edge of said footing with alternate recesses and projections, in then locating columns in the earth beneath said recesses and forming a pressure-resisting connection between said footing and sald columns.

7. An underpinnmg for a, building or 1 other structure supported on piers, compris- 1 ing beams located in supporting position i relative to the base portion of the piers, said beams having no substantial projection into the interior of the building, a body of concrete or the like surrounding said piers, the base of which is located in substantially the plane of the original footing of said piers, and which incloses said beams whereby the 1 said beams tie the original footings to said concrete, and the latter furnishes a new extended and unitary footing for all sa1d piers,

in substantially the plane of the original footing, the said extended footing having its principal area located at the outer side of the 1 piers whereby the interior of the building is undisturbed, and underpinning columns located in the earth beneath the principal area of said footing, and pressure resistmg connections between each of said columns and said footing.

8. An underpinnlng for a bullding or 1 other structure supported on piers comprissame and connected to the footing of each pier at substantially its base portion, whereby the said extended footing provides a unitary footing for all the piers and takes the In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed Weight originally borne by the separate footmy name in the presence of tWo subscribing 10 ings, and separate underpinning columns lo- Witnesses.

cated in the earth beneath the outer portion of said unitary footing substantially adjacent JOHN GOLDSBOROUGH' one another thereby forming a curtain Wall, Witnesses:

and pressure resisting connections between HENRY RAYMOND MUssEY,

said columns and said footing. GEORGE MILLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

